Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-25
THE NEW LIBRARY BUILDING.
The Largest Building i'm the City, Ex.
cepting the CapitOl-Thc Time He.
quired 10. Finish it.

There is now an immense excavation, of oblong
shape, on the squares east OF the Capitol, where
1t is proposed to erect the new Congressional
Library building. One can get an idea when look
ing over this excavation Of the immense size OF
the proposed building. 1t will be larger than
most OF the squares Of the city, and cover more
ground than any other public building here, ex-
cept the Capitol building. The new State De-
partment building, the Treasury building, the
Patent Office, and other large buildings will be
eclipsed in point OF size.
The architect, Mr.. Smithmyer, took STAR re-
porter to little platform on top of The Lincoln
mansion to-day to get brd'S-eye view OF this
huge excavation, the largest ever made In this
city at one time for building. The Capitol build
Ing before the wings were added was much smaller
than the new library building From the eleva-
tlon On top OF the Lincoln house, the horses and
men at work on the farther side OF the excavation
The ground about the actual site Of the building
has been graded. AT the northeast corner the
ground VIII be level. and at other places the APP
ProacneS 10 the building Will be SlOpfng. Mr.
Smlthmyer said it would have been impossible to
nave SO placed the building as not to have cut of
the streets crossing the squares purchased by the
government and left any sort OF approach to the
pudding The dignity Of the structure required
tnat there should be some ground about it, and
Sucn an approach was necessary to allow the
whole building to be seen at once. A great mis-
take mad been made, he said In the city building
In Philadelphia In so placing it that no could
ever get view OF the building as whole.
The new library building will have a front OF
46e feet and depth OF 335 feet. It's main or pub
nc entrance will be on the west, looking toward
the Capitol. On the east will be another entrance
intended for business purposes. A mound now In
tne center or the excavation marks the central
point OF the building. In the center will be ro-
tunda which will have a clear diameter OF 100 feet
or feet more than the diameter of the rotunda
OF the Capitol. This will be the public reading
room. 1t Is the architects intention to push this
rotunda to completion as rapidly as possible, and
some OF the galleries and aicoyeS so that the books
stored in the Capitol building can be removed and
the space now occupied in the Capitol devoted To
use as committee rooms.
Mr.. Smthmyer thinks that IL appropriations are
promptly made the new building viii be CON-
pleted In fye or six years. A question yet to be
decided by the Library Commission is the charac-
ter OF the stone to be used in the structure. 1t is
probable that very light granite a marble
Will be used, as 1t Is deemed desirable that the
structure shall harmonize with the Capitol build
Ing In this respect.
In making the excavations the workmen came
upon what appeared to be the bed OF an Old creek
IN about the center OF the slte and at this point
the excavation mas been made deep in order to re-
move ali OF the soft earth.